Middle East latest: US believes Israel planning 'limited strike' inside Iran as White House announces sanctions plan (2024)

The UN secretary-general has held a phone call with Iran's foreign minister, calling for "urgent de-escalation".

Antonio Guterres said there must be a "renewed focus on bringing peace to the Middle East", according to spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Mr Guterres reiterated his condemnation of the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria's capital, Damascus, on 1 April, which he said violated the principle of "inviolability" of diplomatic premises under the Vienna conventions.

"We do not want to see another cycle of an eye for an eye, which is not a policy that will lead to peace," said Mr Dujarric.

The UN chief did not speak to any senior Israeli officials, said Mr Dujarric.

The US ambassador to theUN has said she did not see a resolution recommending the Palestinian Authority become a full UN member leading to a two-state solution.

The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, is expected to push the Security Council to vote as early as tomorrow on a draft resolution, diplomats said.

A UN Security Council committee considering the application "was unable to make a unanimous recommendation" on whether it met the criteria.

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: "We do not see that doing a resolution in the SecurityCouncil will necessarily get us to a place where we can find...a two-state solution moving forward."

She added Joe Biden had categorically said Washington supported a two-state solution and wasworking to get that in place as soon as possible.

An application to become a full UN member needs to beapproved by the Security Council - where the United States cancast a veto - and then at least two-thirds of the 193-memberGeneral Assembly.

The UN says it is still facing obstacles to prevent famine in Gaza.

Aid deliveries met significant Israeli checkpoint delays, said Andrea De Domenico, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Last week, 41% of UN requests to deliver aid to northern Gaza were denied, he said.

"We're dealing with this dance where we do one step forward, two steps backward, or two steps forward, one step backward, which leaves us basically always at the same point," said MrDe Domenico.

"For every new opportunity that we've been given, we will find yet another challenge to deal with, so it's really, really difficult for us to scale up to where we would like to be."

There had been a "steady increase" in the number of trucks entering Gaza, he said, but the problem was "not just about food".

"The problem is that famine is much more complex... it's much bigger than simply bringing in flour," said Mr De Domenico.

"Water, sanitation and health are fundamental to curb famine."

US officials have noted progress in the amount of aid that goes into Gaza, but say it is still not at the desired level.

Israel approved reopening the Erez crossing into northern Gaza following global outrage at Israeli airstrikes that killed World Central Kitchen aid workers on 1 April.

Welcome to our live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and wider tensions in the Middle East.

The region is braced for a response from Israel after Iran attacked the country with hundreds of drones and missiles at the weekend.

Israel's war cabinet has met several times since and has vowed to respond, but it's not known if or when it will retaliate.

Its Western allies have urged it not to hit back, fearing this could escalate tensions and lead to a wider war in the Middle East.

Among those urging caution is the UK - which sent its foreign secretary to Israel overnight.

Lord Cameron will be holding talks with Benjamin Netanyahu as well as his Israeli counterpart today.

Before we bring you today's news, here's what has happened in the last 24 hours...

• The US believes Israel's military response to Iran will be limited in scope, sources told CNN;
• Israel's military said it had killed the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector in Lebanon;
• Vladimir Putin held a phone call with the Iranian president, where he called for restraint from all parties in the Middle East;
• The UN nuclear watchdog said it was "concerned" Israel could target Iranian nuclear facilities.

A few days ago we reported that the Palestinian Authority was preparing its bid for full United Nations membership.

Late on Tuesday night a UN Security Council committee considering the bid said it was "unable to make a unanimous recommendation" on whether it met the criteria.

"Differing views were expressed" on the issue, according to a committee report seen by Reuters news agency.

The Palestinian Authority is still expected to push the 15-member council to vote, possibly on Thursday, on a draft resolution recommending its full membership.

The Palestinians are currently a non-member observer state - a position granted in 2012 - but full membership would effectively recognise a Palestinian state.

Success for the Palestinians here, however, is unlikely - they need their bid to be approved by the Security Council, and Israel's main ally the US has the power to block it. It also needs support from at least two-thirds of the UN General Assembly.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces "engaged" two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in areas controlled by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

"It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to US coalition and merchant vessels in the region," it said.

There were no injuries or damage reported by US coalition or commercial ships.

"These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US, coalition and merchant vessels."

The command also posted on X about an aid drop earlier in the day, with photos.

Statement by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan:

"Following Iran's unprecedented air attack against Israel, President Biden is coordinating with allies and partners, including the G7, and with bipartisan leaders in Congress, on a comprehensive response.

"In the coming days, the United States will impose new sanctions targeting Iran, including its missile and drone program as well as new sanctions against entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s Defense Ministry.

"We anticipate that our allies and partners will soon be following with their own sanctions. In addition, we continue to work through the Department of Defense and US Central Command to further strengthen and expand the successful integration of air and missile defense and early warning systems across the Middle East to further erode the effectiveness of Iran's missile and UAV capabilities.

"These new sanctions and other measures will continue a steady drumbeat of pressure to contain and degrade Iran's military capacity and effectiveness and confront the full range of its problematic behaviours.

"Over the last three years, in addition to missile and drone-related sanctions, the United States has sanctioned over 600 individuals and entities connected to terrorism, terrorist financing and other forms of illicit trade, horrific human rights abuses, and support for proxy terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Kataib Hezbollah.

"The pressure will continue. We will not hesitate to continue to take action, in coordination with allies and partners around the world, and with Congress, to hold the Iranian government accountable for its malicious and destabilizing actions."

The Ministry of Defence has commented on escalating violence in the West Bank, which increased following the death of a 14-year-old Israeli.

The MoD said it was alarmed by the "shocking levels of violence" in the occupied area.

"These killings, and subsequent actions, are escalatingviolence in the Occupied West Bank and the wider region at acritical time," it said.

"It is vital that Israeli authorities restore calmand conduct urgent and transparent investigations into alldeaths."

Seven Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the attacks began on Friday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israeli authorities have urged people not to resort to vigilante attacks.

The Iraqi prime minister has said his country has not received any reports or indications that missiles or drones were launched from its territory during Iran's attack on Israel.

Mohammed Shia al Sudani said Iraq's "position is clear" that it would not be "thrown into the arena of conflict".

As we have been reporting, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel on Saturday.

Iraq is a rare ally of both the US and Iran.

Its airspace was a main route for Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel, and Iraqi officials say Iran informed them, as well as other countries in the region, ahead of the attack.

The IDF has released footage from the Israeli Air Force's control room during the attack from Iran over the weekend.

Times of Israel military correspondent Emanuel Fabian said the footage showed the control room during the first interceptions of the Iranian missiles and drones.

Iran fired more than 300 missiles and drones toward Israel, although minimal damage was caused.